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Erin Douglas

@blackburnerproject

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Founded and directed by Erin Douglas @aphotochick
Creative director and cultural strategist
Available for consulting & brand partnerships [click 🔗]

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Erin Douglas' "Black! Asé 2.0" project showcases the powerful stories of Burners of Color, bringing representation and culture to our community. From the default world to the playa, Burners carry these meaningful connections everywhere they go.

Drone video by @char.kess.photo

#blackrockcity #brc #burningman #10principles #thankslarry #burningmanart by @blackburnerproject

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2 years ago

★彡[ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ꜰᴜɴ ʙʙᴘ ꜰᴀᴄᴛꜱ:

ᴡʜᴏ'ꜱ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ɪᴛ: ʜᴇʏ, ᴇʀɪɴ ᴅᴏᴜɢʟᴀꜱ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅᴇʀ, ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ, & ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜᴇʀ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ʙᴜʀɴᴇʀ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ.

- ɪ'ᴍ ᴀ ꜰɪɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ. ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ᴄᴀʀᴇᴇʀ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ɪɴ ꜰɪɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴄɪᴛɪɢʀᴏᴜᴘ ɪɴ ɴʏᴄ

- ɪ ꜰᴇʟʟ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜʏ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ‘08 ʀᴇᴄᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ aka ʟᴏᴏꜱɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴊᴏʙ- ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴅᴀʏ

- My focus: ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟ, ᴘᴏʀᴛʀᴀɪᴛ & ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴀʟɪꜱᴍ ᴇɴᴠɪʀᴏɴᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ photography & ꜱᴛᴏʀʏᴛᴇʟʟɪɴɢ. ɪ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟɪɴɢ ꜱᴏʟᴏ, ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ꜱᴜʙᴊᴇᴄᴛꜱ & ꜱʜᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ

- ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴍᴀɴ ᴡᴀꜱ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴜᴄᴋᴇᴛ ʟɪꜱᴛ

- ᴍʏ ɪɴᴛʀᴏ & ᴇɴᴛʀʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴍᴀɴ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀ ɢɪꜰᴛᴇᴅ ᴛɪᴄᴋᴇᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴅᴇᴀʀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅꜱ/ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ @robinnyc & her ʜᴜʙʙʏ @iamdrewbutler. ʀᴏʙɪɴ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴡᴀʏꜱ. ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇxᴘᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇ. ɪ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɢɪᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴇʏᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ mad ʟᴏᴠᴇ tho. ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇ ᴍᴀᴅ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪᴛꜱ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ, ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ. (ɪ.ᴇ ꜱɪɢɴɪɴɢ ᴜꜱ ᴜᴘ ꜰᴏʀ ɪɴᴛᴇɴꜱᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴋᴏᴜᴛs ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ QTᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ɢʀᴀʙʙɪɴɢ ᴅʀɪɴᴋꜱ). This ticket felt like another one of those challenges. 4eva grateful 🙏🏾!

- ɪ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴄᴋᴇᴛ ʙᴜᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛᴇʀʀɪꜰɪᴇᴅ, ɴᴇʀᴠᴏᴜꜱ, & ᴏᴠᴇʀᴡʜᴇʟᴍᴇᴅ ᴡ/ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴꜱ. ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴜʀᴇ ɪ'ᴅ ʙᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜰᴇᴡ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴛᴇᴄʜɴɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟᴇʀ, ʙᴜᴛ ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴍᴀɴ ꜰᴇʟᴛ way ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴛ.

- ᴍʏ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ʏᴇᴀʀ, 2017 ᴡᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴄᴀʟʟ ᴀᴍᴀᴢɪɴɢ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴡᴀʏꜱ. ɪ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ɴᴏ ʜᴏᴡ ɪ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ʜᴏɴᴇꜱᴛʟʏ

- ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ 1ꜱᴛ ʏᴇᴀʀ ɪꜱ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴅᴇᴀ ᴛᴏ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏʟᴏʀ ᴀᴛ ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴍᴀɴ. ᴀ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʙɪɢ ᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴ. ɪ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ꜱʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴍᴘᴀᴄᴛ "ꜱᴇᴇɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ʀᴇꜰʟᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ" ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴏɴ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ. ᴛᴏ ʜɪɢʜʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
& ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄᴀꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴏɢɴɪᴢᴇᴅ "ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍ" ꜱʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇɢᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴀᴄᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ꜱᴇᴇɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴡᴀꜱ ʜᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀ ꜱᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ & ꜰᴇʟᴛ ʀᴀᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ɪɴᴄʟᴜꜱɪᴠᴇ

- I officially started the project in 2017 (writing the vision,ideas). Started documenting 2018 BM

- ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ʙᴜʀɴᴇʀ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴀ ᴄᴀᴍᴘ

- MY PLAYA NAME: FoundHer

- ᴀʟʟ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇꜱ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɢᴇ (ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ) ᴀʀᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ʙʏ ᴍᴇ, ᴀᴋᴀ @aphotochick

- *ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴇxᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ʙʙᴘ? ꜱᴛᴀʏ ᴛᴜɴᴇᴅ on the ɴᴇxᴛ ᴘᴏꜱt

📸 @briankingnyc ]彡★

#burningman #blackburnerproject #followyourhearttalk #blackstoriesmatter #diversityinthearts #founder taken in Burning Man by @blackburnerproject

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3 years ago

This day was magical and historic. A dream awakened.

What a week.
What a journey. Years of challenges & doubt, the work, the commitment, the blood, sweat & many tears. the sacrifice. what I had to go through in order to get to this moment. all lead to a dream I was fully awake and prepared for.

I recognize not everyone gets the opportunity to make history.

Going to and surviving Burning man is not easy and this sacred land truly showed us who was boss this year. She wasn't playing. The ability to push through the suck to the extent that this crazy experience is transformational for so many of us says a lot for each of us. For me Its been about understanding the magnitude of birthing Black Burner Project which lead to bringing my first art piece- Black! Asé which officially debuted at Burning Man 2022 and understanding the significance of every moment that has gotten me here.

I understand not everyone understands the importance of a project like this both on and off the Playa. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

For Blackness to be celebrated, in the way it was last week was incredible to witness. The intention behind this piece was to take up space and for these portraits that represent so many of us to be seen far and wide- its what I dreamed of and would not change during this process of ideation to creation. This piece was an ode to finally stepping into my power with hopes I would be an example of what is possible. Little did I know that I boldly stepped into this role years ago, I am grateful for all those who have been riding with me a long the way. it has been hard. Its not the beginning nor the end, but a moment in this journey of mine to recognize and celebrate.

Its always been about impacting people through my work and I'm humbled by the messages, The hugs and crys people embrace me with on playa that tell me it has done so.

Thank you to the amazing Fly AF Black! Asé team for helping me bring this vision to fruition. To the daily calls, to building in the heat and crazy dust. it's been a time.

Thank you @robotheartfoundation for supporting my vision for this day! Forever in the dusty books!
📸 @aphotochick
#burningman2022 #blackburnerproject taken in Burning Man by @blackburnerproject

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4 years ago

A little BTS peek from Build Week 2022.

I love stumbling on beautiful moments. When I find videos and photos I’ve yet to give attention to, it really brings up all the feels.

This was such a unique time in my journey. Looking back now, you realize just how distinctly special it was - not many people can say they’ve experienced something quite like this, even within this community.

And then there was a surprise that caught me completely off guard.

Fellow burner, dear friend, and mentor Scott Froschauer walks into view and looks right at the camera. I’ve been searching for any photos of him since hearing of his passing and couldn’t find a single one. Most of our connection was built over Zooms and phone calls since 2021. So to stumble on this now, to watch him just walk right in- - was a heart stopper.

Thank You @r88d for setting up that little camera we forgot was watching us.

@craft_ed._x thanks for curating the tunes for build

Scott. 🤍

#burningman #artonplaya #specialmoments #bts blackburnerproject taken in Burning Man by @blackburnerproject

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3 days ago

Warm Nights.. We Slay

#playa #dance #burningman #blackburnerproject #blackart taken in Burning Man by @blackburnerproject

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17 days ago

Burner Fashion always unmatched.

Happy Packing to the ones who haven't zipped the suitcase up yet.

Whats your burner style like?

#Burningman #blackburnerproject #playa #burnerfashion #blackmenfashion by @blackburnerproject

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2 months ago

A little different this year. Party with some bubbles Thursday 11am @bubbles.and.bass

Now get off that phone and let the playa do what it do.

#blackburnerproject #burningman #familyreunion #nophones taken in Burning Man by @blackburnerproject

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2 months ago

Some events this week.

A little different this year. Kickback with some bubbles Thursday 11am @bubbles.and.bass

Now get off that phone and let the playa do what it do.

#blackburnerproject #burningman #familyreunion #nophones taken in Burning Man by @blackburnerproject

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2 months ago

2022... Build week.

Sunday. Just after midnight.

One final nail. Then... silence.

For 7 days, the desert had become part of us. White dust covered my skin in layers. The Gate had just opened, but it felt like we’d already lived an entire lifetime out there. We’d worked through heat, relentless wind, and moments where the easier choice would have been to stop.

But the team never did. And then...it was standing.

I remember looking around at the people beside me and thinking how strangely beautiful life had brought us together. Some had started as acquaintances or brief convos years earlier on playa. At the time, I had no idea those moments were introducing me to the very people who would one day help bring this big crazy vision to life.

Somehow, I knew who to call when the time came.

One of the greatest lessons this project gave me was to trust my intuition, and my ability to gather the right people around this vision.

These were the people I’d laughed with, disagreed with, stayed up until 4 a.m. solving impossible problems with. The people who taught me to weld. The people I’d share 10 p.m. dinners with after 12hour days in the shop.

Together, we built something that had once only existed inside my head until enough people chose to believe in it too.

The craziest part? We never completed a full build before bringing it to playa.

The first time Black! Asé truly stood in its entirety-was here.

It still feels like something that shouldn’t have worked.

As artists begin arriving on playa & the sound of build fills the desert, I know the mix of emotions many may be carrying. The excitement, pressure, exhaustion, anxiety.

I’m rooting for you all. For the newbies-Trust every part of the process that’s happening for you, not to you. Challenges & all.

To every BIPOC artist helping shape the landscape of BRC, thank you for continuing to dream bigger than what feels possible.

Because for one quiet moment just after midnight, standing in the dust beside people the universe had quietly placed in my path years before, I realized that the thing I’d been carrying in my imagination had become real.

I’ll never forget that feeling. 🙏🏾team
#burningman #playa taken in Burning Man by @blackburnerproject

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2 months ago

2026 update

This was a hard one but black burner project will not be present on the playa this year. With that being said there will NOT be an official BBP BIPOC Family Group Photo.

This year, I decided to do something different.

The group photo has grown into a full production, one that takes real time, planning, and care to do right. So, This year, I made the difficult call to pause it and put that energy into making next year’s 10th Anniversary the best it can be (more to come).

But I’ve still planned a way for everyone to celebrate and connect with each other even. Thursday Burn Week at 11am, pull up for a BBP Family Reunion meetup at bubbles and bass- bubbly included. 🥂 -

Keep an eye for other amazing projects you can still support and other events happening on the playa.

~ Erin

#burningman #blackburnerproject #familyphoto #groupphoto by @blackburnerproject

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2 months ago

This is how it all started. Me right before everything changed.

Someone I trusted gifted me a ticket. It changed my direction. That one “yes” became Black Burner Project.

Every year since, I’ve quietly gifted tickets to first-timers who needed the break (or just a nudge) and helped make ticket access easier for other People of Color.

This year I want to know who needs a little help.

I know we’re just a few weeks out. But if you’re still out there, still looking for a ticket, yet still all in. A First-timer. Identify as a Person Of color. You’re Dead serious- This is your year! Ready to go. Looking to make a way no matter what. The cost has been in the way. Fill out the App.

If you know Someone who should be there- Nominate them ( fill out the app).

It means so much to put this in the right hands and to be able to help.

Link in bio. Apply now. the sooner, the better.

Deciding by end of next week. by @blackburnerproject

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3 months ago

Day 30.

I want to talk about the season when everything feels like it’s falling apart but it’s actually working.

That cliché phrase… everything is working out for you… is actually a legitimate question to sit with.

Because what it forces you to ask is: what do I think “working out” is supposed to feel like? Easy? Certain? Done?

Sure. But if that’s what you’re already feeling doesn’t that mean it already is done? It already is so.

Which means the part before that, the uncertain, chaotic, overwhelming part- maybe that’s supposed to feel different. So you can recognize the shift when it comes. So you can be grateful through all of it. Not just at the end.

When I was building Black Asé, my first large scale art installation, I was overwhelmed every single day. Scared. Felt like I had no idea what I was doing. Like anything could go wrong at any moment. And a lot did. It felt like I was in the middle of the ocean during a crazy storm- learning how to captain the ship for the first time all at the same time.

But the piece made it to the playa. And it was everything I had visualized on those morning walks, in my journaling, and spoken out loud to my team.

I think about that often now. Especially as so many artists are in the middle of the madness to get their pieces to the playa this year. Or maybe you’re building something else entirely trying to bring an idea to life, trying to make something different happen.

Because sometimes that feeling of it’s not working, the chaos, the uncertainty, the overwhelm, isn’t a sign that things are going wrong. Sometimes it’s just what building something real actually feels like from the inside.

The uncertainty, the am i doing this right, I keep trying and Im not seeign anything - doesn’t mean it’s actually not working. Sometimes the that exactly what working looks like.

If you can see it.. it’s usually already there.

So if everything feels like it’s hitting the fan right now… just say it. Out loud. Everything is working out for me. Again and again.

This is for me. And this is for you, who ever you are. 🤍

#talkchallenge #blackburnerproject #expansion #trusttheprocess by @blackburnerproject

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3 months ago